Athlete Spotlight: Isaac Vallie

BISMARCK –  Swim fans see the end result on meet day.
What they miss is the build up to a swimmer’s peak performance.
And if those fans could see the work Bismarck Century senior Isaac Vallie puts in to be primed for competition, they would appreciate the process.
“One thing I remember to this day that my former coach (Michael Porter) told me was, ‘the clock never lies,’” Vallie said. “The work you put in is what you get out.”
And that work includes aerobic sets, sprint work, technique drills and race pace training.
“Early in the week is usually heavier with more yardage and intensity,’’ Isaac said. “As we get closer to a meet, the focus shits to sharpening starts, turns, underwaters, and short bursts at race speed. By meet day, the goal is to feel fast, fresh and confident.”
This is the all-stater’s sixth year swimming in the Patriot program. Like most swimmers, he competed in different events and distances to find where he can have the most success.
“What stands out the most to me is how much he has matured,’’ said Century coach McKenzie Steckler. “Not only out of the water, but how he understands physical aspects of a stroke so he can know how to better himself and fix his technique,’’ said Century coach McKenzie Steckler. “When he was younger he did a lot of distance and overtime he has been able to transition to sprinting and still be a well-rounded swimmer.”
His talents mean he could compete at a high level in just about any event, but he’s at his best in the freestyle sprints and the 100 butterfly. 
Isaac enters the postseason with the third fastest time in the state in the 50 freestyle and second fastest time in the 100 freestyle. He also owns the third fastest in the 200 freestyle and third in the 100 butterfly. In all four events, he has the top time of any WDA swimmer.
So what separates the good swimmers from the elite?
“At the top level the differences are tiny,’’ Isaac admits. “Technique, underwaters and turns can make just as much difference as raw speed. The best swimmers are the ones who can hold perfect form even when they’re tired. I worked on that constantly. Refining my stroke, improving my breakouts and building power off the walls. Small details add up to big drops (in time).”
Watching her older sister Emma compete is what drew Isaac to the pool.
“She was the first one in the family to swim’’ he said. “And watching her compete made me want to follow in her footsteps, and eventually try to be better than her. She set the standard, and chasing her level is what pulled me into the sport.”
Although there is a pool-full of competitors, Vallie said you can focus on just besting your last performance. 
“What really appealed to me was the idea of racing the clock,’’ he said. “Swimming can feel isolated in the best way. “It’s just you, the water, and the time on the board. There’s no hiding behind anyone else. You’re responsible for every improvement, every mistake, every breakthrough. I liked that challenge early on, and it’s still one of the things that keeps me going today.”
He credits his coaches for challenging him and instilling a strong work ethic. “My coaches have played a huge role in my development,’’ he said. “They’re honest and detail-oriented. They’ll tell you exactly what needs to improve, but they also push you to believe in yourself. They’ve helped me become more disciplined, more technical, and more confident in my racing.”
But support and encouragement also came at home.
“The person who deserves the most recognition is my mom, Jeanelle Vallie,’’ Isaac said. “She’s been the steady force in my life, the one who showed up every day, pushed me, and supported me through everything. When things got tough, she was the one who held it all together and made sure I had what I needed to keep chasing my goals and dreams. My dad is still in my life, and I appreciate the role he plays, but my mom has always been the stronger presence. She’s the one who carried the weight, made the sacrifices, and kept me moving forward.”
Century has established itself over the years as one of the perennial powers. A credit to the talented and dedicated swimmers who have left their mark and displayed effective leadership. Steckler said Vallie has been a positive influence on his up-and-coming teammates. “Younger kids are impress with how he does on test sets and how fast he is able to gog at practice and not just in meets,’’ she said. “He is alway willing to help a teammate out.”
His goals in the final few weeks of the season is to defend his conference titles and reduce his times in his main events. “I want to finish off my senior year know I pushed my limits and left everything in the pool,” he said.
There will be more swimming in Isaac’s future following high school. He has signed to swim at St. Cloud (MN) State University. 
“A big part of that decision comes from my connection with Beau Zander, a former teammate who had a real impact on me early on,’’ Vallie said. “When I was a seventh grader, he took me under his wing in a way I didn’t expect. He wasn’t just a teammate, he became a mentor, someone who looked out for me, pushed me, and believed in me at a time when I didn’t always believe in myself.”
It’s the place Isaac feels he can keep building on the foundation of hard work, discipline and accountability.
“It’s a program where I can grow, compete and keep developing both academically and athletically,” he said.
Until that day comes when Vallie trades in his Patriot blue for Huskies red, the focus is on his remaining high school races.
Steckler said Isaac set his sights on leaving a positive mark on the Patriot program. “And I believe he has done that,’’ she said.

Photo by Loralyn Joyce